There's daggers in mens fmiles; the near in blood,
The nearer bloody.

Mal. This murderous shaft, that's shot,
Hath not yet lighted; and our safeft way
Is to avoid the aim. Therefore, to horse;
And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,
But shift away; there's warrant in that theft,
Which steals it self when there's no mercy left. [Exeunt.

SCENE, the Outfide of Macbeth's Castle.

Old Man.

T

Enter Rosse, with an old Man.

Hreescore and ten I can remember well,
Within the volume of which time, I've seen

Hours dreadful, and things strange; but this fore night
Hath trifled former knowings.

Roffe. Ah, good father,

Thou seest, the heav'ns, as troubled with man's act,
Threaten this bloody stage: by th' clock, 'tis day;
And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp:
Is't night's predominance, or the day's shame,
That darkness does the face of earth intomb,

When living light should kiss it?

Old M. 'Tis unnatural,

Even like the Deed that's done. On Tuesday last,
A faulcon, towring in her pride of place,
Was by a mousing owl hawkt at, and kill'd.

Roffe. And Duncan's horses, (a thing most strange and
certain!)

Beauteous and swift, the minions of the Race,

(19)

Turn'd

(19) And Duncan's Horses, (a Thing most ftrange and certain!) Beauteous and swift, the Minions of their Race,]

I am pretty certain, all the Copies have err'd, one after Another, in this Reading: and that I have restor'd the true One. The Poet does not mean, that they were the best of their Breed; but that they were excellent Racers: in which Sense he very poetically calls them, the Minions of the Race. This is a Mode of Expression, which he seems very fond of So, before, in this Play.

Like Valour's Minion, carved out bis Passage;

Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out,
Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would
Make war with man.

Old M. 'Tis faid, they eat each other.
Roffe. They did fo; to the amazement of mine eyes,

That look'd upon't.

Enter Macduff.

Here comes the good Macduff.

How goes the world, Sir, now?

Macd. Why, see you not?

Roffe. Is't known, who did this more than bloody Deed?
Macd. Those, that Macbeth hath lain.

Roffe. Alas, the day!

What good could they pretend ?

Macd. They are suborn'd;

Malcolm, and Donalbaine, the King's two Sons,
Are stol'n away and fled; which puts upon them
Sufpicion of the Deed.

Roffe. 'Gainft nature still ;-
Thriftless ambition ! that will ravin up
Thine own life's means. -Then 'tis most like,
The Sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth?

Macd. He is already nam'd, and gone to Scone,
To be invested.

Roffe. Where is Duncan's body ?

Macd. Carried to Colmes-hill,

The facred storehouse of his Predecessors,

And guardian of their bones.

Roffe. Will you to Scone?

Macd. No, Cousin, I'll to Fife.

Roffe. Well, I will thither.

Macd. Well, may you fee things well done there, (adieu;)

Lest our old robes fit easier than our new!

1st. Henry. IV.

Who is fweet Fortune's Minion, and her Pride.

And again;

-Gentlemen of the Shade, Minions of the Moon.

4

Dd2

Roffe.

Roffe. Farewel, Father.

Old M. God's benison go with you, and with those That would make good of bad, and friends of foes.

[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE, an Apartment in the Palace.
Enter Banquo.

HOU haft it now; King, Cawdor, Gla-
mis, all

The weird women promis'd; and, I fear,
Thou plaid'st most foully for't : yet it was said,
It should not stand in thy Posterity;

But that my felf should be the root, and father
Of many Kings. If there come truth from them,
(As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine)
Why, by the verities on thee made good,
May they not be my Oracles as well,

And fet me up in hope? but, hush, no more.

Trumpets found. Enter Macbeth as King, Lady Macbeth, Lenox, Rosse, Lords and Attendants.

Mach. Here's our chief guest.

Lady. If he had been forgotten,
It had been as a gap in our great Feaft,
And all things unbecoming.

Mich. To night we hold a folemn supper, Sir,

And I'll request your prefence.

Ban. Lay your Highness'

Command upon me; to the which, my Duties
Are with a most indissoluble tye

For

For ever knit.

Mach. Ride you this afternoon?

Ban. Ay, my good lord.

:

Mach. We should have else defir'd

Your good advice (which still hath been both grave
And profperous) in this day's Council; but
We'll take to morrow. Is it far you ride?

Ban. As far, my lord, as will fill up the time
'Twixt this and supper. Go not my horse the better,
I must become a borrower of the night
For a dark hour or twain.

Mach. Fail not our feast.

Ban. My lord, I will not.

Mach. We hear, our bloody Cousins are bestow'd
In England, and in Ireland; not confeffing
Their cruel Parricide, filling their hearers -
With strange invention; but of That to morrow;
When therewithal we shall have cause of State,
Craving us jointly. Hie to horse: adieu,

Till you return at night. Goes Fleance with you?
Ban. Ay, my good lord; our time does call upon us.
Mach. I wish your horses swift, and fure of foot:

And so I do commend you to their backs.
Farewel.

Let ev'ry man be master of his time (20)
'Till seven at night; to make society

The sweeter welcome, we will keep our felf

[Exit Banquo,

'Till supper-time alone: till then, God be with you.

[Exeunt Lady Macbeth, and Lords.

(20) Let ev'ry Man be Master of his Time Till fev'n at night, to make Society

The fweeter welcome: We will keep our self

Till Supper Time alone.] I am surpriz'd, none of the Editors should quarrel with the Pointing. How could ev'ry Man's being Master of his own Time till Night, make Society then the sweeter? for, so, every Man might have gone into Company in the mean while, and pall'd himself for the Night's Entertainment. My Regulation, I dare warrant, retrieves the Poet's Meaning. "Let every Man (says the King,) be Master of his own time till Seven o Clock: and that I may have the stronger Enjoyment of your Companies then, I'll ab

"stain from all Company till Supper-time."

Dd 3

Manent Manent Macbeth, and a Servant.

Sirrah, a word with you: attend those men
Our pleasure?

Ser. They are, my lord, without the Palace-gate.
Mach. Bring them before us

thing;

To be thus, is no

[Exit fer.

'Tis much he dares,

But to be fafely thus. - Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep; and in his Royalty of Nature
Reigns That, which would be fear'd.
And to that dauntless temper of his mind,
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour
To act in safety. There is none but he,
Whose Being I do fear: and, under him,
My Genius is rebuk'd; as it is said,
Antony's was by Cafar. He chid the Sisters,
When first they put the name of King upon me,
And bad them speak to him; then, Prophet-like,
They hail'd him father to a line of Kings.
Upon my head they plac'd a fruitless Crown,
And put a barren Scepter in my gripe,
Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,
No fon of mine succeeding. If 'tis so,
For Banquo's issue have I fil'd my mind:
For them, the gracious Duncan have I murther'd :
Put rancours in the vessel of my Peace
Only for them: and mine eternal jewel
Giv'n to the common enemy of man,
To make them Kings: the Seed of Banquo Kings:
Rather than so, come Fate into the lift,

And champion me to th' utterance!

who's there?

Enter Servant, and two Murtherers.

Go to the door, and stay there, 'till we call.

Was it not yesterday we spoke together?

Mur. It was, so please your Highness.

Mach. Well then, now

You have confider'd of my speeches? know,

[Exit fervant.

That it was he, in the times past, which held you